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Should I move to Singapore?

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  • #16
    scooby5, I just felt the need to applaud your post. You've put thoughts into words very well indeed there...

    Although I'm rather curious as to the property you're living in for it to be in such terrible condition only 5 years post-TOP. I'm living in a place that's now circa 10 years old, and it's doing pretty great. A minor renovation which wouldn't cost much would definitely modernise a few things, but I can't complain, where I am now.

    Cars are a big issue but honestly, for the kind of price they charge here (like a wounded bull), I'm a massive taxi user. They help save time on parking, are generally quite plentiful, and if you urgently need a taxi during peak hours and can't get through on the normal lines, it helps to know a few taxi drivers on speed dial. I certainly won't ever be paying 100k SGD for a car when I can spend not even half that on taxis. Not to mention the 10-year speed at which they depreciate.

    Best is base yourself in SIN and go elsewhere for the weekend... I do that and have no qualms about it. That way (to me), I sort of achieve both my goals on not just the Standard of Living aspect but also the Quality of Life aspect...

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    • #17
      Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
      Just curious... what is so bad in the UK that makes you so desperate to leave?
      my personal peeves:
      Taxes - Paying 40% in the UK vs 10% in SG
      Tube vs mRT. Nuff said.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
        Just curious... what is so bad in the UK that makes you so desperate to leave?

        I'm a Singaporean and I've been living and working in the UK since 1998. Except for family and food, I'm not exactly missing Singapore much.
        Work probably...

        My sister lived in UK for over 25 years. She specialises in tax letigation and she said that after the crash of things, work sort of dried up.. for her anyway. So she moved back ! To Singapore.. and of course looking between the Pound and the Sing dollar, everything is affordable to her now. She takes weekends at the luxury hotels at sentosa over the weekends, and hardly ever stays home. Am waiting for the opportunity for her to ask me to house sit for her at her 3 BR condo downtown.

        Mind you, she is working tax free status under the terms of her new employment.. so that can explain how she can still fly off to LHR every other month in J on SQ's A380 for a concert or two.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by Savage25 View Post
          my personal peeves:
          Taxes - Paying 40% in the UK vs 10% in SG
          Tube vs mRT. Nuff said.
          Okay, I did not work long enough in Singapore to know that tax is only 10%.
          I also do not earn enough to pay 40% in UK tax.

          I stay on-site or I drive. I do not take the overcrowded, dirty and dodgy underground in London.

          I work and live in the suburbs or the countryside where the quality of air and life is much better. But I always make sure that I still stay within commuting distance to London for the occasional venture for roast duck and timsum.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Kyo View Post
            scooby5, I just felt the need to applaud your post. You've put thoughts into words very well indeed there...

            Although I'm rather curious as to the property you're living in for it to be in such terrible condition only 5 years post-TOP. I'm living in a place that's now circa 10 years old, and it's doing pretty great. A minor renovation which wouldn't cost much would definitely modernise a few things, but I can't complain, where I am now.

            I'm really out in the sticks, CCK, but fairness where it is due maybe, the tenants that were in our plcae for the first two years of its life might have screwed with the place a bit before. It doesn't negate the fact the lining of my kitchen and bathroom cupboards are pealing and the aircon drainage layout is poor. Also the fact the drawers in the in-built cupboards just don't seem to fit - the seem about 4-5mm too narrow and keep falling off the runners.

            Also, with regards your 10-yr old unit...... I get the general feeling that anything built around the year 2000 or before is simply built better. I have a look around the Dairy Farm often, as a place to rent, and the units are far more solid but as a rental nobdoy like to decorate so the units are usually very poorly maintained, some with original fixtures. Buying an older unit there is the best idea and spending some money to make it homey on the inside.


            Cars are a big issue but honestly, for the kind of price they charge here (like a wounded bull), I'm a massive taxi user. They help save time on parking, are generally quite plentiful, and if you urgently need a taxi during peak hours and can't get through on the normal lines, it helps to know a few taxi drivers on speed dial. I certainly won't ever be paying 100k SGD for a car when I can spend not even half that on taxis. Not to mention the 10-year speed at which they depreciate.

            Unfortunately no choice as I still need to travel into KL on a reasonably regular basis. What I at least managed to do, though, is get the exact car i wanted, second hand after just 8-months and 11,000kms the clock at a price of S$88k from a new of S$115k....... and it's been great for 3-yrs without a hitch.

            With a kid or two, as well, cars are a pretty important tool to have in the arsenal.


            Best is base yourself in SIN and go elsewhere for the weekend... I do that and have no qualms about it. That way (to me), I sort of achieve both my goals on not just the Standard of Living aspect but also the Quality of Life aspect...

            This is where my aspects of Quality of Life kick in as well for me. The fact we CAN easily explore a new side of the world for leisure, rather than for work as I normally do. The fact I can load up the car Friday lunchtime, cross the border with the family in 20min and be in another country for the weekend is a welcome break and a necessity for them. For me, I'm travelling a fair bit anyway but these guys are stuck so getting out once a month is a whole new revival for them.

            From the UK perspective, it's like living in London, jumping in the car and ending up in Cornwall or Wales.

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            • #21
              SQTraveller,

              The big ticket cost items in Singapre are housing, car and education. If your employer foots the bill for these, you are fine because everything else is much cheaper than in London. If you are self-employed, do your sums well.

              The other setbacks are the weather and claustrophobia of a tiny city state. There is no opportunity for a nice weekend drive out to the countryside. But as a major international travel hub, you can access so many fun destinations with a not-too-long flight.

              As a base to do business in Asia, it is probably second only to Hong Kong (if at all). If you speak primarily English, Singapore scores big.

              Oh...and in case you are wondering... our beaches here suck.

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              • #22
                The individual income tax rates and corporate tax rates are much lower in Singapore than in UK. Moverover Changhi is the gateway to the World.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Gunners View Post
                  Moverover Changhi is the gateway to the World.
                  My sentiments exactly.

                  I may not exactly feel SIN to be the center of the world (NYC has this place for me), but for sure I do feel Changi to be the gateway to the world, as you have just described.

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                  • #24
                    post deleted
                    Last edited by SQtraveller; 20 August 2017, 04:05 AM.

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                    • #25
                      SQtraveller.
                      The commute is a god send, nowhere in Singapore is a long commute full stop, compared to London. Yes the MRTs are busy etc but compare it to say the northern line at peak hour its nothing.

                      Yes, road etiquette in Singapore is very bad if you have a UK driving hat on, your correct indicators are really either just for telling people "you have just turned", "am turning the opposite way to the way i'm indicating" or "I may or may not turn that way".
                      However it works as everyone is the same and there is very little road rage compared to the UK if you ask me. I have noticed more recently though and I personally refuse to drive as it would kill my blood pressure and would probably get sent home after a week, not too mention the comical cost.

                      As you say unless you need a car then taxis and buses are far better, the bus system is really good an you can text for an eta, the MRT is busy but again nothing compared to the tube at rush hour (letting people on and off etiquette aside) and taxis are comparatively cheap and plentiful. A car for a single person I would say is not worth it as it is really expensive.

                      As for sterile I disagree, OK it doesn't have the buzz of a city like London or Hong Kong but it has its merits and I like it. Maybe different for someone who grew up here but personally as an expat there is enough going on. OK you do not have so many options at say the theatre or as many historical places to go but if you delve a little deeper into Singapore there are a lot of really interesting places to go. The problem is here you just do not hear about them easily.

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                      • #26
                        I think you have it mostly right, there... except - road etiquette in Singapore is already amongst the best in Asia (you should try driving in Kuala Lumpur... shudder... they say if you can drive there, you can drive anywhere)

                        Same could be said about Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh

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                        • #27
                          Ha Ha very true, compare to Vietnam or certain places in Thailand where the horn rules (so to speak) its very well mannered.

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                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                            I think you have it mostly right, there... except - road etiquette in Singapore is already amongst the best in Asia (you should try driving in Kuala Lumpur... shudder... they say if you can drive there, you can drive anywhere)

                            Same could be said about Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh
                            I have driven in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and find it so much easier in Singapore. I'd pee in my pants just trying to cross the road in Vietnam!

                            Compared to 20yrs ago, more Singapore drivers are willing to give way to a car signalling to change lane. Singaporean drivers (not motorcyclists) obeys traffic lights and gives way at pedestrian crossings.

                            A large proportion of our motorcyclist have no sense of lane discipline, weaving in between cars. Thankfully, their numbers are much lower than in our neighboring countries.

                            Our roads are also less congested, although fast deteriorating.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Kyo View Post
                              I think you have it mostly right, there... except - road etiquette in Singapore is already amongst the best in Asia (you should try driving in Kuala Lumpur... shudder... they say if you can drive there, you can drive anywhere)

                              Same could be said about Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh

                              It's funny...... after 5 and a half years in KL I realise I was actually more relaxed there than in Singapore. In KL people DO tend to indicate more, for example.

                              Maybe it is expectations but you go to Malaysia not expecting much and you don't get much so in the end you're quite happy about it. In Singapore you expect so much better, given the roads, infrastructure, comfort in knowing the people actually have a license, knowing that license wasn't found in a box of Coco Puffs or bought from a guy down the boozer. Unfortunately Singapore doesn't deliver on the expectations and I find it more stressful here than KL or HK where i also was for 8-yrs.

                              SQT: Your oberservations are pretty good......stick to a taxi for commutting, maybe putting in a permanent booking with a single driver, directly to the driver, to ensure he's always there. It can be tricky to book a taxi at peak times when it is raining.

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                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Gunners View Post
                                Changhi is the gateway to the World.
                                According to a quick Google (so it may or may not be absolute accurate), Changi serves around 180 destinations compared to 370 destinations for the London airports.

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